Stories from the Vet

Audrey can hardly wait to get to work this morning.

---Clean the cat cages. Check.
---Wash a dog. Check.
---Give medications. Check.
---Take the turtle out of the freezer. Check.

Yep. Audrey gets to tube feed a turtle today. This little cupcake didn't see the minimum speed sign on the highway, and got in the wrong lane. A passerby repaired her shell with vet-approved SuperGlue, but she's turning up her stubby turtle nose at the delectable mealworm and tomato salad they serve in Turtle Hospital. So she has to be tube fed. Not a big fan of having a feeding tube run down her throat, she pouts and clamps her jaws, swipes her prissy little toenails against the vet's tender hands, pulls her head back into her shell and slams the door.

Audrey wanted to feed her last night, but the supervising vet had to leave for a birthday party. She promised Aud this morning's feeding. "If she doesn't cooperate," the vet said, "we'll just stick her in the freezer until she slows down."

Might be good to set a little timer or something.

An ornate box turtle photo from the Web. Box turtles, unlike other turtles, have a hinge in the plastron, the plate that makes up the bottom of their shell. This allows them to shut themselves away from prying paws, claws, and veterinary assistants.